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New Hampshire Humanities extends its gratitude to Lincoln Financial Foundation for a $20,000 grant to support its Connections adult literacy program, marking the tenth year of support from Lincoln Financial Foundation. Connections is the New Hampshire Humanities book discussion program offered statewide in partnership with adult basic education and ESOL classes, prisons, and refugee resettlement organizations, to promote English language skills, nurture a culture of reading, and support family literacy. Statistics show that Americans with low literacy skills are likely to have had parents who did not read or write fluently, so adult literacy programs are doubly effective – reaching all new readers within a household.

The grant reflects Lincoln Financial Foundation’s commitment to economic and workforce development and their belief that literacy is essential to gainful employment. For long-time citizens and new Americans, Connections links adult students to the world through literature and other print media, stimulates thinking and discussion, builds confidence, supports whole family learning, and helps create a foundation for economic opportunity.

“At a time when New Hampshire’s population is becoming more diverse, with an influx of resettled refugees and immigrants from non-English speaking lands, adult literacy has taken on a new importance,” said Byron Champlin, CLU, Lincoln Financial Foundation’s Regional Director for Community and Foundation Relations. “Our longstanding support of the Connections program is based on the belief that the ability to read and write English is the foundation for economic security and for fully integrating into our culture and society.”

Lincoln Financial Foundation, established in 1962 as the philanthropic arm of Lincoln Financial Group, believes in empowering people to live greater lives, which advances culture and empowers greater positive change. Its grant to NHH is part of Lincoln Financial’s annual $10 million investment in its local communities’ youth education, economic and workforce development, human well-being and arts programs. For more information about Lincoln Financial Group, please visit www.LincolnFinancial.com.

"I want to thank you for a great series. The books were great and led to so much discussion and learning, for both students and teacher," she said. "I can’t say enough positive things about this program – how much the students love and enjoy it, as do I. With this group I know the books are read and reread at home." - Connections facilitator